Guitar.



N6. 636,850. Patented Nov. [4, I899.

P. BITTER.

GUITAR.

' n filed Jun 30 (Applicatw {N0 Mndel.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PAUL BITTER, 0F SCHGNEOK, GERMANY.

GUITAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 636,850, dated November 14, 1899.

Application filed June 30, 1899. fierial No. 722,428. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PAUL BITTER, manufacturer of stringed instruments, a subject of the German Emperor, residing at Schoneck, Saxony, Germany, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Guitars, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a guitar differing from those heretofore known in being provided with a great numberof strings, of which every four appertain to one accord. Since the number of strings is so' great, it is impossible to control the tones of these accords in the customary way by stopping with the fingers, as the breadth of the touch-board cannot be spanned by the hand.

The object of the invention is to facilitate such control and bring it within the compass of a single grip, and to this end stop-bars are placed transversely over the strings and appropriate mechanism provided whereby they may be pressed down thereon, so that with the coagency of suitable frets arranged upon the neck of the instrument the strings may be tuned higher at need.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is aplan View of the neck of a guitar embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof, showing particularly the apparatus for operating the stop-bars; and Fig. 3 is a cross-section on the correspondingly-numbered line in Fig. 1 viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

As shown in Fig. 1, the improved guitar is provided with a great number of strings, every four of which are appropriated to one accord and conformably attached to tuning-keys. The accords are best composed of one spun and three gut strings. In the present example the strings are grouped in six accords, every two of which appertain to a tone, in such manner that the first is the base accord of a pair of the tone to which this pair appertains and the second the quint accord coinciding therewith. The normal tuning yields thus far three tones for every two accords. Changing the tuning of the strings or stop ping with the fingers, as ordinarily practiced, is put out of the power of the performer, owing to the abnormal breadth of the touclr board necessitated by the great number of strings, and therefore I provide mechanical stopping apparatus capable of control by the hand of the player. The best mechanism for this purpose now known to me is as follows: Upon the touch-board are arranged two frets a, properly spaced, the distance from one to the other and from the first to the initial fret a corresponding to a whole tone. At both sides of the touch-board guides 79 are suitably arranged upon the neck, in which slide-pins c,

carrying at their ends exposed above the touch-board a stop-bar d, which bridges the strings adjacent to its coactin g fret. Beneath the neck the pins of each pair pertaining to a stop-bar are joined by a yoke 6, upon which presses an eccentric f, controlled by a lever g, as shown. Springs h are suitably arranged to act upon the pins in such manner as to normally hold the stop-bars away from the strings. Now to change the tone of the strings it is only needful to operate the lever of the eccentric pertaining to the appropriate stopbar, whereupon said stopbar will be depressed and bind the strings againstthe adjacent fret, the springs returning it to normal as soon as the lever is released.

The number of the accords appropriated to a guitar, as well as the number and spacing of the individual stop mechanisms, will naturally depend upon the exigencies of the 0c casion, so that, for example, half-tones may be obtained by the arrangement of a particular stop mechanism between the two herein shown.

I desire it to be understood that my invention is not limited to the particular mechanism herein described, it being obvious that the details may be widely varied and greatly departed from without transgressing the scope thereof; but

hat I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination in a guitar, of frets upon the touch-board thereof, stop-bars bridging the strings above said frets and adjacent thereto, spring-borne sliding pins carrying said bars, yokes uniting said pins beneath the neck, and eccentrics, with their levers, pressing upon the yokes.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

PAUL BITTER.-

Witnesses:

Osonn MALMRos, l VILLIAM Frnnnna. 

